An Ultimate Guide to Master Dragapult: Best Builds and Movesets

Are you ready to unleash the power of Dragapult in Pokemon UNITE for Nintendo Switch and Mobile? Look no further, as this comprehensive guide will provide you with the best builds, movesets, and strategies to dominate the battlefield. Whether you’re a seasoned Pokemon trainer or new to the game, this guide will help you master Dragapult and lead your team to victory.

Introduction: Unleash the Silent Attacker

Welcome to the ultimate guide on how to play Dragapult, the silent but deadly attacker in Pokemon UNITE. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about this powerful Pokemon, including its role, attack type, damage type, and difficulty level. We’ll also dive into the best builds, movesets, and strategies to maximize Dragapult’s potential on the battlefield.

Dragapult Latest Buffs and Nerfs (03/08)

Before we delve into the specifics of Dragapult’s gameplay, let’s take a quick look at the latest buffs and nerfs that have affected this Pokemon. Stay up to date with the Version 1.9.1.4 Patch Notes to ensure you have the most accurate information for your battles.

Move Changes (March 8):

• Dragon Dance: Fixed a bug where the effect that reduced cooldown of the move does not activate.

Dragapult Basic Info

To kick off our guide, let’s start with some basic information about Dragapult. Understanding its role, attack type, damage type, and difficulty level will help you navigate its gameplay more effectively.

• Role: Attacker
• Attack Type: Ranged
• Damage Type: Physical
• Difficulty: Expert
• Cost: Stealthily take out opponents with this silent but deadly Ranged attacker!

Dragapult Best Lanes

As a versatile attacker, Dragapult can excel in multiple lanes. Here are the best lanes where Dragapult can make a significant impact:

• Top
• Jungle
• Bottom

Be sure to check out our Tips & Strategies section for every lane to gain a deeper understanding of Dragapult’s positioning and playstyle.

Dragapult Price and Cost

If you’re considering adding Dragapult to your roster, here’s the information you need to know:

• UNITE License: Dragapult
• As of January 5, 2023, Dragapult is now purchasable for 14,000 Aeos Coins or 575 Aeos Gems! This comes one week after Dragapult was first released and was only available to purchase with Aeos Gems.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Understanding Dragapult’s strengths and weaknesses will help you make strategic decisions during battles. Here’s a quick overview:

Strengths:

• Fast attack speed
• Has invisibility and scalable damage via Phantom Force
• Unite Move is spammable (Doesn’t have cooldown)

Weaknesses:

• Struggles in the early game
• Slow movement speed
• Low durability

Best Builds for Dragapult

Now, let’s dive into the best builds for Dragapult. These builds will optimize Dragapult’s potential and give you the edge in battles. We’ll cover three different builds: Jungle Build, High Offense Build, and Stealth Scorer Build.

Jungle Build

Moveset:

• Phantom Force
• Shadow Ball

Held Items:

• Attack: +27
• Critical-Hit Rate: +6%
• Critical-Hit Damage: +12%
• Attack Speed: +16.50%

Battle Item:

• Item Effects (at Level 30)

Recommended Lane:

• Jungle

The Jungle Build focuses on giving Dragapult an advantageous start by taking the jungle and carrying the game. The moveset includes Phantom Force and Shadow Ball for optimal damage output. Stay behind allies during team fights, as Dragapult lacks an escape tool once it reveals itself from Phantom Force. Circle around targets with Dragon Dance and know when to end the move.

The held items include:

• Muscle Band: Helps Dragapult farm jungle camps faster with increased attack speed and an HP-based bonus damage.
• Rapid-Fire Scarf: Improves Dragapult’s attack speed, especially when combined with the attack speed bonus from Phantom Force or Dragon Dance.
• Scope Lens: Increases Dragapult’s chances of dealing critical-hits and improves their damage. Synergizes well with the attack speed buff and the stackable Attack stat increase from Phantom Force or Dragon Dance.

For battle items, Full Heal works best for Dragapult when running Dragon Dance, as it prevents the Pokemon from getting disabled while flying. X Speed is the ideal item for Phantom Force, providing Dragapult with versatile mobility. X Attack can give Dragapult additional firepower through damage amplification and increased attack speed.

The Boost Emblem loadout should consist of 6 Brown Emblems for maximum damage and 4 White Emblems for additional HP. Equip Emblems that improve Attack or Critical-Hit Rate to maximize Dragapult’s damage output.

High Offense Build

Moveset:

• Phantom Force
• Shadow Ball

Held Items:

• Attack: +30
• Attack Speed: +9%
• Cooldown: -4.50%
• Unite Move Charge Rate: +6%

Recommended Lane:

• Top or Bottom

The High Offense Build utilizes damage amplification from different sources. The moveset includes Phantom Force and Shadow Ball for increased damage. It works best in the top or bottom lane with a high-durability lane partner.

The held items include:

• Rapid-Fire Scarf: Massive attack speed boost that works well with Phantom Force’s attack speed effect, increasing Dragapult’s DPS.
• Attack Weight: Increases Dragapult’s overall damage output from attacks and moves.
• Energy Amplifier: Provides a huge but temporary damage boost whenever Dragapult uses Dreep and Destroy.

For battle items, X Speed gives Dragapult the necessary mobility to make up for the build’s lack of defensive items. X Attack can also fit well with the build’s concept, acting as the last layer of damage amplification.

The Boost Emblem loadout should consist of 6 Brown Emblems for maximum damage and 4 White Emblems for additional HP. Equip Emblems that improve Attack or Critical-Hit Rate to maximize Dragapult’s damage output.

Stealth Scorer Build

Moveset:

• Dragon Breath
• Phantom Force

Held Items:

• Attack: +54
• Attack Speed: +9%
• Movement Speed: +150

Recommended Lane:

• Top or Bottom

The Stealth Scorer Build is an experimental build that utilizes Dragon Breath to speed up Dragapult’s farming and the stealth from Phantom Force to score aggressively throughout the game. It also makes use of stackable items to give Dragapult room for improvement. This build should only be used in the top or bottom lane, as it strays from the Pokemon’s core gameplay.

The held items include:

• Attack Weight: Dragapult’s main stackable item, giving it a considerable damage boost. It’s best to fully stack the item as early as possible.
• Float Stone: Gives Dragapult substantial movement speed and decent damage, allowing it to roam the map and score points.
• Rapid-Fire Scarf: Increases Dragapult’s DPS via its attacks and improves its fighting capabilities.

For battle items, X Speed is a versatile mobility tool that can be used for defensive and offensive situations.

The Boost Emblem loadout can consist of any color. Equip Emblems that improve Movement Speed to maximize Dragapult’s roaming capabilities.

Dragapult Best Items & Moveset

In this section, we’ll discuss the best held items, battle items, and moveset for Dragapult.

Best Held Items

Here are the best-held items to maximize Dragapult’s potential:

• Attack Weight: Further boosts Dragapult’s damage output. It’s also easy to stack for Dragapult thanks to the invisibility from Phantom Force.
• Buddy Barrier: Works well with Dreep and Destroy’s charge-based mechanic, granting Dragapult and its ally shields when the move is used.
• Energy Amplifier: Synergizes perfectly with Dreep and Destroy, allowing Dragapult to trigger the item’s effects more frequently than other Pokemon.
• Focus Band: Makes up for Dragapult’s low durability, increasing its defenses and giving it a survivability tool.
• Scope Lens: Compliments Dragapult’s fast attack speed, increasing the Pokemon’s chances of dealing critical hits and improving their damage.
• Muscle Band: Works well with Dragapult’s fast attack speed, giving its attacks an HP-based bonus damage.
• Rapid-Fire Scarf: Supplement’s Dragapult’s innate attack speed, improving its fighting capabilities.

Best Battle Items

The best battle items for Dragapult are:

• X Speed: A versatile tool that gives Dragapult more mobility for offense and defense.
• X Attack: A versatile tool that gives Dragapult more mobility for offense and defense.

Best Moveset

For Dragapult’s moveset, we recommend the following:

• Shadow Ball: Makes Dragapult’s attacks deadlier and heals the Pokemon for a decent amount. It also works well with Phantom Force’s attack speed boost effect.
• Phantom Force: Gives Dragapult stealth for hunting targets and increases its attack stat each time it defeats an opponent.

This moveset is the best for Dragapult, as the Pokemon is built primarily as a damage dealer. Phantom Force offers Dragapult stealth, which can be used offensively or defensively depending on the situation. It also improves the Pokemon’s late-game potential thanks to its stackable attack stat increase effect. Shadow Ball compliments Dragapult’s fast attack speed, increasing the damage dealt to the marked target. It also provides a decent HP recovery tool.

If you prefer better team fight capabilities, choose Dragon Dance and Dragon Breath instead, as they can damage multiple targets. Dragon Dance also gives Dragapult some mobility to work with.

How to Play Dragapult

Now that you have a strong understanding of Dragapult’s builds, movesets, and items, let’s dive into how to play Dragapult effectively on the battlefield. Mastering these strategies will help you lead your team to victory.

Quickly Farm Wild Pokemon to Reach Level 5

Dragapult evolves later than other attackers, so it’s advisable to farm in the jungle until you reach level 5 and get a move upgrade. Utilize the attack speed buff you gain from Quick Attack and quickly take down mobs with standard attacks and Astonish.

Always Fill Up the Boosted Attack Gauge

When playing as Dragapult, you’ll start off as Dreepy on level 1. The gauge that fills up when attacking wild Pokemon turns Dreepy’s attacks into Boosted Attacks. Always make sure that this gauge is filled up to keep your damage at max and take down wild Pokemon faster.

Choose Mobility Move Based on Playstyle

Upon reaching level 5, you can choose your first dash move: Dragon Dance or Phantom Force. Choosing Dragon Dance allows Dragapult to move in a circular manner and attack enemies from a safe distance while gliding. It can also be cancelled mid-usage, allowing you to disengage from a fight or maintain your distance from enemies.

Choosing Phantom Force allows you to enter stealth mode and fill your boosted attack gauge when near enemy Pokemon. Use Phantom Force on enemy Pokemon to benefit from the damage increase and fill your gauge faster. Whichever move you choose will be beneficial for your playstyle, so choose Phantom Force if you wish to focus on aggressive plays and Dragon Dance if you prefer to utilize Dragapult’s mobility and play defensively.

Sneak, Gank, and Score With Phantom Force

If you chose Phantom Force, Dragapult’s gameplay changes into an aggressive and sneaky ganker. This move allows Dragapult to go into stealth mode with additional movement speed. Use Phantom Force to farm for points in the jungle, steal enemy camps with Astonish, and aim to score, secure objectives, and destroy enemy goal zones.

Phantom Force is a self-buff move that lets Dragapult enter stealth mode and fill its boosted attack gauge while sneaking near an enemy. Once it fills up, Dragapult exits stealth mode and deals consecutive damage with boosted standard attack speed. Take note that the boosted attack gauge will not fill up if Phantom Force is used on wild Pokemon, so use this move only when near enemy Pokemon to benefit from the damage increase.

Utilize Mobility with Dragon Dance

Dragapult is a mobile attacker, and Dragon Dance allows it to glide around an area in a circular manner, attacking both wild Pokemon and nearby enemy Pokemon. This move can be used to engage and disengage from fights easily and allows Dragapult to attack from a safe distance. It’s important to note that Dragon Dance also heals Dragapult whenever its attacks hit enemies while gliding, making it an effective choice for passive play, bursting down isolated Pokemon, and helping allies secure objectives.

Reach Level 7 and Choose Moves Based on Your Playstyle

Upon reaching level 7, you have the option to choose your second move. If you prefer a pure damage dealer playstyle, partner Phantom Force with Shadow Ball. Shadow Ball marks enemies, and the fourth attack deals increased damage and heals Dragapult. This moveset maximizes Dragapult’s damage output and slows down enemies while bursting them with standard attacks.

Alternatively, you can play more defensively by utilizing Dragapult’s mobility with Dragon Dance and dealing ranged damage with Dragon Breath.

Carry the Team Upon Reaching Level 9

Upon reaching level 9, Dragapult evolves into its final form and gains access to Dreep and Destroy, its Unite Move. At this point, prioritize shutting down enemies to stall their progress, steal enemy camps, and secure objectives. Play aggressively, give chase, burst, and slow down enemies with combos, but also be aware of when to disengage from a fight. Avoid getting ahead of your allies and maintain a safe distance just in case a retreat is necessary.

Maintain Your Distance From Clash Initiators

Dragapult may have a high crit rate when fully evolved, but it is still squishier than its fellow attackers. Watch out for clash initiators and team up with a Defender ally before engaging. Use Dragon Dance or Shadow Ball to deal damage from afar and provide ranged assistance in taking down All-Rounder enemies.

Use Dreep and Destroy to Burst Down Enemies and Secure Objectives

Dreep and Destroy is Dragapult’s Unite Move, and it’s most effective when used on enemies with low health. The move deals increased damage to low-health opponents, making it perfect for securing knockouts. It can be used twice and can be even more effective when paired with Energy Amplifier as one of the held items, as it reduces the Unite Move’s cooldown and gives a damage increase buff.

Dragapult Progression and Leveling Guide

To help you progress and level up Dragapult effectively, we’ve prepared a progression and leveling guide based on different lanes.

Jungle Guide

Levels 1-5:

• Learn Quick Attack and utilize the attack speed buff to secure Xatu and quickly advance towards level 3.
• Farm wild Pokemon until you reach level 5 and learn either Phantom Force for aggressive DPS plays or Dragon Dance for mobility and defensive play.

Levels 6-9:

• Clear the second wave of jungle camps to level up and reach level 7 quickly to learn either Dragon Breath or Shadow Ball.

Levels 10+:

• Continue hunting targets, securing objectives, and pushing lanes.
• Prioritize securing Regieleki on the top lane and help secure the bottom lane objective afterwards.
• Try to reach level 15 before or when Rayquaza spawns for a fully-upgraded moveset and high stats.

Top and Bot Guide

Levels 1-5:

• Secure as many wild Pokemon as you can to reach level 5 quickly and evolve to Drakloak.
• Acquire either Dragon Dance or Phantom Force.

Levels 5-9:

• After acquiring either Dragon Breath or Shadow Ball, start farming for points and score as much as possible.

Levels 10+:

• Stick with allies to hunt targets and secure Regieleki on the top lane as soon as it spawns, then push lanes.
• Level up as much as you can before Rayquaza spawns on the map.
• Help your team win clashes to secure Rayquaza.

Dragapult Combos

Dragapult has several combos that can be executed to maximize its damage output and strategic advantage on the battlefield. We’ll cover two key combos for Dragapult: the Phantom Force combo and the Dragon Dance combo.

Phantom Force Combo

The Phantom Force combo relies on stealth and fast attacks to quickly knock out targets.

Surprise Dreep and Destroy:

1. Use Phantom Force to enter stealth and get into position close to your target.
2. If Dragapult’s Boosted Attack is still charging, wait for it to be fully charged first before proceeding.
3. From stealth, use one charge of Dreep and Destroy.
4. Immediately follow up with Shadow Ball and mark the target.
5. Keep attacking the marked target until Shadow Ball’s second effect triggers.
6. You can end the combo there or use another charge of Dreep and Destroy.
7. If you manage to knock out the target, use Phantom Force again and choose another target.

Dragon Dance Combo

The Dragon Dance combo is centered on using Dragon Dance to deal damage to multiple targets.

Ring of Fire:

1. Start by using one charge of Dreep and Destroy and unleash Dragon Breath.
2. Quickly follow up with Dragon Dance, which will reset Dragon Breath’s cooldown.
3. Use Dragon Breath again while circling around to burn the area.
4. Once Dragon Dance ends, use another charge of Dreep and Destroy for good measure.
5. Alternatively, you can use Dragon Dance again to end the move early after using Dragon Breath for the second time. This can be useful when a target has low HP and you want to secure a knockout.

Matchups & Counters for Dragapult

Understanding Dragapult’s matchups and counters is crucial for adapting your strategy during battles. Here are some key matchups to be aware of:

Dragapult Matchups

Hard Counter:

• Buzzwole: Can close the gap and ambush Dragapult with Lunge, then take it down with Superpower.

Even Matchup:

• Mr. Mime: Can stun Dragapult and disrupt its movement with Confusion-Power Swap or Psychic-Power Swap combo.

Easy Matchup:

• Supporter Pokemon: These Pokemon are easy targets for Dragapult due to their low durability and low mobility.

For a complete list of matchups and counters, refer to our comprehensive Dragapult Matchups chart.

Best Teammates for Dragapult

To truly maximize Dragapult’s potential, it’s important to choose the right teammates. Here are some Pokemon that synergize well with Dragapult:

• Gardevoir
• Pikachu

These aggressive stallers have powerful burst attacks that can disrupt enemies. When partnered up with these Pokemon, Dragapult can easily chase down enemies and push lanes.

• Mr. Mime
• Sableye

These Pokemon have the means to inflict debuffs and shut down targets with their moves. This helps Dragapult dominate the lane quickly and have enough time to steal enemy camps.

• Slowbro
• Snorlax

These tanky disablers can lead the charge, soak up damage, and help Dragapult set up its attacks thanks to their disabling moves.

• Gengar
• Zoroark

These high-burst damagers help contribute damage through pinning down enemies with combos and burst attacks. While it’s still recommended to go with either a Defender or Supporter ally, Speedsters are a huge help when trying to dominate lanes as early as possible.

• Machamp
• Urshifu

These hard-hitting initiators are very dependable allies, as they have means to buff or sustain themselves. Whether it’s securing objectives or pushing lanes, Machamp and Urshifu are built to initiate clashes, stun enemies, and create openings for their teammates.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve reached the end of our ultimate guide to mastering Dragapult in Pokemon UNITE. By following the best builds, movesets, and strategies outlined in this guide, you’ll be well-equipped to dominate the battlefield with Dragapult. Remember to adapt your playstyle based on matchups and communicate effectively with your teammates to secure victory. Now, go out there and unleash the power of Dragapult!